Apparatus for feeding and orienting pears



B. C. COONS March 24, 1953 APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND ORIENTING FEARS 4Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Dec. 5, 1944 INVENTOR BURTON G. COONS BYATTORNEYS mHFhH March 24, 1953 B. c. cooNs 2,632,552

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND ORIENTING FEARS Original Filed Dec. 5, 1944 4Sheets-Sheet 2 FIE 2 INVENTOR F3 BURTON C. OOONS av (P ATTORNEYS Marbh24, 1953 B. c. cooNs APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND ORIENTING FEARS 4Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Dec. 5, 1944 INVENTO'KR BURTON c. coons BY4W ATTORNEYS March 24, 1953 B. c. COONS APPARATUS FOR FEEDING ANDORIENTING PEARS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Dec. 5, 1944 INVENTORBURTON c. coous ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 24, 1953 APPARATUS FOR FEEDINGAND ORIENTING PEARS Burton 0. Coons, San Jose, Calif., assignor to FoodMachinery and Chemical Corporation, a

corporation of Delaware Application July 19, 1947, Serial No. 762,114

11 Claims.

. The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvementsin apparatus for feeding and orienting fresh pears.

This application is a division of my copending application, Serial No.566,694, filed December 5, 1944, now Patent No. 2,581,634, for PearFeeding and Orienting Apparatus.

One object of the present invention is to provide a pear feedingmechanism for feeding individual pears from a promiscuous mass thereofto a place of use and for arranging the pears in predetermined positionduring feeding of the same.

{Another object is to provide a pear feeding and orienting apparatuswhich is adapted for hantilin pears of all sizes and configurations.

Another object is to provide a pear feeding and orienting apparatus ofsimple and inexpensive construction which requires a minimum amount offloor space.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following description and drawings in which:

Fig; 1 is a plan view of the pear feeding and. orienting mechanism ofthe present invention in conjunction with a pear feeding or transferunit of a pear preparation machine.

Fig. 2 is a section of the machine shown in Fig. 1 taken along line 2-2thereof.

Fig'. 3 is a longitudinal section of a portion of the machine shown inFigs. 1 and 2 taken along line 3-3 thereof, some pears being shown invarious stages of feeding during the operation of the machine.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the machineillustrating a feed cup and parts operatively associated therewith. Fig.'5 is an enlarged longitudinal section of a portion of the machine takenalong line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a chain link and a portion of atransverse bar of the elevator mechanism of the machine.

In general, the mechanism of the present invention comprises a tank I,and a conveyor mechanism '2. The pears are deposited in a promiscuousmass into the tank I from which individual pears are fed atpredetermined intervals by the conveyor mechanism 2 to a pear handlingor treating apparatus such as, for instance, the feed and orientingchute assembly 3. During the conveyance of the pears from the tank I tothe chute assembly 3 the individual pears are oriented in predeterminedmanner by the conveyor 2.so that when they are subsequently deposited insuch oriented position into the chute assembly 3 they may be finallyoriented therein and discharged stem end first therefrom either intostationary fruit receiving pockets of a pear feeding mechanism 4 such asshown in my copending application, Serial No. 507,517, filed October 25,1943, now Patent No. 2,431,310, for Fruit Handling Machine, or directlyinto the fruit receiving and holding cups of a pear preparation machinesuch as, for instance, shown in my United States Patent No. 2,187,075,dated January 16, 1940.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings and especially to Figs.1, 2 and 3 thereof, it will be noted that the tank I of the feeding andorienting mechanism of the present invention is of rectangularconstruction and comprises side Walls II and I2, a front wall I3, a rearwall I4 and a bottom I6. Secured to the side walls II and I2 of the tankI, adjacent the rear wall I4 thereof, are standards I1 and I8 providedwith bearings I9, 2| and .212, 23, respectively. Rotatably mountedwithin the bearings I9 and 22 is a transverse shaft 24, while slidablymounted within the bearings 2| and 23 is a transverse shaft 26.

Positioned within the tank I and secured to the bottom I6 thereof arebearings 2'! and 28 within which a transverse shaft 29 is rotatablymounted which is provided with retaining collars 3| and 32 (Fig. '2).Keyed to the shaft 29 and spaced from each other are sprocket wheels 36and 31 while keyed to the shaft 24 and spaced with respect to each otherare sprocket wheels 38 and. 39. The sprocket wheels 36 and 38 arepositioned in alignment with each other and trained around the same isan endless elevator chain 4| (Figs. 2 and 3). The sprocket wheels 31 and33 are also arranged in alignment with respect to each other and trainedaround the same is an endless elevator chain 42.

Secured to the elevator chains 4| and 42, at equally spaced intervals,are a plurality of transverse bars 43, each one of which is providedwith a plurality of pear receiving and orienting cups or buckets 44. Topermit attachment of the transverse bars to the sprocket chains 4| and42 the latter are provided at equal intervals with bar supporting links46 (Fig. 5) each having a web portion 41 (Fig. 6) to which thetransverse bars 43 are secured by means of screws 48.

One ,end of each transverse bar 43 extends beyond the sprocket chain 4|as shown at 49 in Figures 2 and 4, and carries a bracket 5| providedwith a guide block portion 52 and a bearing portion 53. Fixed within theguide block portion 52 are stud shafts 54 and 56 upon which rollers 51and 58, respectively, are rotatably mounted which are adapted to travelwithin a guide channel 6| of a stationary guide rail 62 during a portionof the travel of the cross bars 43 more specifically referred to lateron. The lower ends of the side walls of the guide channel 6| are flaredoutwardly at Ma (Fig. 3) to assure entry of the rollers 51 and 158 intothe channel during the operation of the machine. The guide rail 62 issecured to the side wall II of the tank I and the standard I1 by meansof brackets 63 and 64, respectively, and is disposed parallel to thesprocket chain M ('Fig. 3). The transverse bars 43 are bent as shown at66 to receive the cups 44 in the recesses formed thereby for purposes tobe explained later on.

Each of the elevator cups 44 (Fig. 4) comprises a rear wall H and sidewalls 12 and 13 terminating in front wall portions 14 and 16,respectively, which are curved toward and spaced from each other asshown at 11. The upper ends of the side and front walls 12, 14 and 13,16, of each cup form continuous edges 14a and 16a,

respectively, which are gradually forwardly declined toward the freespace 11 therebetween (Figs. 2, 4 and for engaging and guiding the neckend of the pear during the orientation of the fruit in the cup. Each cup44 is further provided with a bottom 18 having a forwardly inclinedportion 19 and a rearwardly inclined portion 80. The bottom 18 of eachcup is cut away at 8| and 82 (Fig. 4) in such a manner as to provide adownwardly extending tongue 83.

Rotatably mounted within the bearing portion 2 53 of each bracket 5|,previously referred to, and extending through bearing portions 84 and 85of all of the cups 44 on each transverse bar 43 is a shaft 86 (Fig. 4).Fixed to the shaft 86 below the bottom of each cup are spaced pearpositioning rolls 9I and 92 provided with a knurled surface as shown inFigure 4. The rolls 9! and 92 project partially through the cut outportions 8| and 82, respectively, into the cups a suflicient distanceabove the bottom thereof so as to engage the bulb portion of a pearsupported therein. The tongue 83, previously referred to, extendsdownwardly between the rolls 9| and 92 toward the shaft 86 (Figs. 3, 4,and 5) to prevent entry of the stem of a pear between the rolls behindthe shaft 86. The cups 44 are secured to the transverse bars 43 in aposition as clearly shown in Figure 4 by means of screws 93 which arescrewed into a reinforced portion 94 of the cups.

Keyed to one end of each shaft 86 extending beyond the bearing portion53 is a pinion IOI adapted to intermesh with a rack portion I02 on theguide rail 62 and forming an integral part therewith.

Keyed to the shaft 24 is a sprocket wheel I03 which is driven by meansof a sprocket chain I04 either by a separate motor or directly by thefruit handling or processing machine in conjunction with which thefeeding and orienting mechanism of the present invention is used.

Mounted within the tank I between the side walls II and I2 and the frontwall I3 thereof is -a fruit supply hopper I06 (Figs. 1 and 2) whichcomprises a bottom I01, side walls I08, I09 and a rear wall I I I formedby rear wall sections I Ila and lb and a plurality of spaced verticalrods I I2. The bottom I01 is declined toward the rear wall III andterminates sufficiently in front of the vertical rods II2 to provide anopen space for'the front run of the elevator chains M and 42 and thetransverse bars 43 to permit free travel thereof through the hopper I06.The bottom I01 is further provided with semicircular cut out portions II6 (Fig. 1) and mounted on the bottom I01 and extending into saidsemicircular cut out portions are semicircular grate structures II1,each one of which is provided with a plurality of radially disposedfingers I I8 arranged to form semicircular openings I2I in the bottom ofthe hopper for the passage of the feed cups 44. A long finger I22 ofeach grate structure H1 is provided to extend into the space 11 (Fig. 1)between the front Wall portions 14 and 16 and the orienting rolls 9 Iand 92 of each cup 44 during its travel past the same. The fingers I22prevent falling of the fruit from the hopper I06 through the openingsI2I into the bottom of the tank I. The side walls I08 and I09 of thehopper I06 are slanted (Figs. 1 and 2) and partitions I26, I21, and I28formed in the bottom I01 intermediate adjacent grate structures II1 areprovided to guide the fruit in the hopper I06 toward the openings I2Ithereof. The partitions I26, I21, and I28 are of inverted V-shapedconfiguration in cross section as shown in Figure 2.

The guide rods I I2 which form a portion of the rear wall of the hopperI06 are positioned behind the front runs I29 of the elevator chains 4|and 42 and are secured at their lower ends to a transversely disposedsupporting bar I32 fastened to the side walls II and I2 of the tank I ofthe machine. The bar I32 provides the sole support for the guide rodsII2 which extend upwardly parallel to the chains M and 42 directlybehind the transverse bars 43.

The sprocket wheel I03 and shaft 24 are driven in the direction of arrowI33 (Figs. 3 and 5) causing a corresponding rotation of sprocket wheels38 and 39 to effect travel of the elevator chains M and 42 and thetransverse bars 43 and cups 44 supported thereby in the direction ofarrows I34 and I36 (Fig. 3) around the shafts 24 and 29.

The pears to be oriented and fed by the machine of the present inventionare dumped in a promiscuous mass into the supply hopper I06 andgravitate downwardly along the inclined bottom I01 thereof upon thesemicircular grate structures I I1 from which they are removed one afteranother by the cups 44 upon the operation of the elevator mechanism 2.To prevent bruising of the pears as they are dumped into the supplyhopper I06 and to prevent bridging of the fruit therein the tank I andsupply hopper I06 are filled with water to the approximate level asshown at I31 (Fig. 3). Since the pears are slightly heavier than thewater they will sink therein, and gravitate to the lowest portion of thehopper. However, due to the buoyant effect of the water, the pearsaccumulated at lowermost region of the hop'penand not received withinthe cups 44 and elevated thereby are easily pushed away without damageor bruising thereof as the cups travel upwardly through the promiscuousmass of pears.

While the elevator mechanism 2 is in operation and while the cups 44travel upwardly through the hopper I06 a single pear is received in eachcup 44 since the size of each cup is such as to accommodate only onepear therein. If a pear enters a cup bulb portion first during theupward travel of the cup through the mass of pears in the hopper I 06,as shown in Fig. 3 it will remain therein with the bulb portion of thepear resting in contact with one or both r011 9| and 92 and with thestem end of the fruit projecting from the cup in any angular positionthe guide channel SI of the guide bar 62 so that the transverse bars 43and cups 44 are firmly guided (Fig. 3) during their elevation toward theshaft 24.

After the pears have been received within the cups 44 of each transversebar 43 and have been lifted thereby from the supply hopper I06, the

pinion II of the shaft 86 associated with each bar 43 and the transverserow of cups carried thereby engages the teeth of the stationary rack I02so that during further upward travel of the cups 44 each shaft 86 isrotated in the direction of arrow I39 (Fig. 4) causing a correspondingrotation of the rolls 9| and 92 of each elevator cup' 44 in thedirection of arrow I4I until the pinion IOI disengages from the rack I02at the upper end thereof prior to the travel of the transverse bars 43and cups 44 around the shaft 24.

.Therefore, after the fruit has been received within each cup 44 andwhile the same is elevated in the direction of arrow I34 (Fig. 3), thebulb portion of the pear rests upon one or both rolls SI and 92 infrictional engagement therewith and upon rotation of the rolls in thedirection of arrow I4I during further upward travel of the cups (Fig.4), the pear in each cup is caused to rotate or turn on its bulbportion,

depending upon its original position in the cup,

either in the direction of arrow I42 or in the direction of arrow I43(Fig. 3). When the pear is in a position asshown at I42a in Fig. 3 androtated in the direction of arrow I42, the stem end of the fruit isswung toward the free ends of the front walls 14 and 16 until the pearassumes a position with its stem end pointing outwardly from the cuptoward, or substantially toward, the front end of the machine as shownat I44 in Figure 3. When a pear is in a position as shown at I430. inFig. 3 and its bulb portion is subsequently rotated in the direction ofarrow I43, the neck portion of the pear is caused to roll downward thedeclined upper edge 14a of the front and side wall portions I2 and I4 ofthe cup 44 toward the front end thereof whereby the pear is turnedsidewise into a position as shown at I44.

After each pear in a transverse row of feed cups 44 has been oriented insubstantially predetermined position as shown at I44 (Fig. 3), and whileit remains in this position, the pinion IOI disengages from the rack I02causing cessation of the rotation of the rolls 9| and 92. Thereupon theoriented pears are subsequently discharged from the cups 44 blossom enddown as shown in full lines at a and a in Fig. 3, into the feed andorienting chute assembly 3 previously referred to as the cups are tiltedwhile they travel around the shaft 24.

However, if a pear enters the cup steam end first, the heavy bulbportion of the fruit projects from the cup so that the pear will usuallybe pushed out of the same by the other fruit in the hopper I06 as it iselevated through the same while another pear enters the cup'bulb endfirst and takes its place. It sometimes happens, however, that a peawhich enters a cup stem end first remains therein and is elevatedthereby, such pear is not oriented by the rolls 9| and 92 as abovedescribed, since its bulb portion does not contact the rolls. However,in view of the forwardly'declined edges 14a 4 and 16a of the elevatorcup which engage the bulb portion of the fruit, the bulb portion of thepear will roll or slide downwardly along the same whereby the pear isturned until its bulb portion is disposed substantially above the freespace 11 between the free ends of the edges 14a. and 16a with the bulbportion of the pear projecting from the front end of the cup as shown indotted lines at I43b'in Fig. 3. Thereupon, as the cups are tilted duringtheir travel around the shaft 24, these pears are discharged sidewisewith the bulb portion in leading position into the feed and orientingchute assembly 3 as shown in dotted lines at b and b in Fig. 3. I

The arrangement of the cups 44 within the recesses 66 of the transversebars 43 disposes the shafts 83 directly below the bars 43 and permits aclose spacing of the bars 43 and shafts 86 with respect to the guiderods II2 whereby lodging of the fruit between bars 43 and shafts 86 orbetween the bars 43 and guide rods II2 and liftin of the fruit therebyout of the hopper I06 is prevented.

From the foregoing it will therefore be seen that the pears deposited ina promiscuous mass into the tank I are individually removed therefrom bythe conveyor mechanism 2, are oriented in predetermined position duringtheir conveyance and are subsequently discharged in such orientedposition at predetermined intervals from the conveyor into theorienting'chute assembly 3 or any other fruit handling or treatingmechanism for further handling or treatment of the pears thereby.

While I have shown'and described a preferred embodiment of my invention,such invention is capable of modification and variation withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope thereof as defined in the claimsappended hereto.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. A pear feeding and orienting mechanism comprising a conveyor forfeeding individual pears from a promiscuous mass thereof, a feedthe neckof a pear in the cup, and means exposed within the cup and engageablewith the bulb end of the pear for rotating the pear in said cup to urgethe neck along said sloping portion toward a predetermined positionthereon.

2. A pear feeding and orienting mechanism comprising a conveyorforfeeding individual pears at predetermined intervals from a promiscuousmass thereof, a feeding and orienting cup adapted to form a seat for apear and having a camming portion at a side thereof engageable with theneck of a pear seated therein, means for moving said cup through saidpromiscuous mass to receive a pear bulb en-d first therein, pearpositioning means rotatably mounted on said cup and engageable with thebulb end of the pear therein, and means for rotating the rotatable meansto turn the pear in said cup and to move the neck along said cammingportion to dispose the stem end of the pear in a predetermined positionrela tive to said cup.

3. A pear feeding and orienting mechanism comprising an endless conveyorfor feeding individual pears from a promiscuous mass thereof at timedintervals to a place of use, a plurality of spaced successive cupsadapted to receive individual pears bulb end first from said mass, eachof said cups having a neck guiding edge portion, and means for orientingthe pears during their conveyance in said cups to urge the stem end ofeach fruit along said guiding edge portion toward a predeterminedposition, and means for operating the conveyor for discharging the pearsblossom end first therefrom.

4. In a pear feeding and orienting mechanism a conveyor for feedingindividual pears at predetermined intervals from a promiscuous massthereof comprising a feeding and orienting cup adapted .to form a seatfor a pear and having a pear guiding edge engageable with the stem endof a pear seated therein, means for moving said cup through saidpromiscuous mass to receive a pear bulb end first therein and toseparate the same from said mass, rotatable pear positioning means insaid cup adapted to engage the bulb portion of the pear therein, andmeans for rotating said pear positioning means during a part of thetravel of said cup to thereby turn the pear in said cup to urge the stemend of the fruit along said pear guiding edge toward a predeterminedposition.

5. In a pear feeding mechanism a feeding and orienting cup comprising arear wall and side walls terminating into curved front wall portions, abottom having a rearwardly inclined portion, and a pair of spaced pearpositioning rolls rotatably mounted on said cup and extending into thesame forwardly of said rearwardly inclined bottom portion for engagingthe bulb portion of a pear received in said cup and for turning the pearupon rotation of the rolls into a position with the stem end of thefruit projecting forwardly of said cup beyond the curved front wallportions thereof.

6. In a pear feeding and orienting mechanism a cup-shaped receptaclehaving a continuous upper edge interrupted at one point and downwardlydeclined toward the same, said receptacle being adapted to receive apear bulb end first therein, and means extending into said receptacleand adapted to engage a pear therein and exert a turning force thereonto thereby cause the neck portion of the fruit to engage the edge andslide downwardly along the declivity thereof until the neck portion ofthe fruit is disposed substantially above said point with the stem endof the fruit projecting from said receptacle.

7. Arrangement for delivering pears individually and in an alignedposition from a promiscuous mass of pears to a place of use, comprisingan endless conveyor, a number of cups supported from said conveyor totravel therewith and adapted to receive the bulb end of a pear, a wallof each of said cups being interrupted at a predetermined point of itscircumference with its upper edge arranged to dip toward said point, andmeans for turning a pear seated in said cup during a movement thereofwith said conveyor.

8. Arrangement for delivering pears individually and in an alignedposition from a promiscuous mass of pears to a place of use, comprisingan endless conveyor having an ascending reach arranged to extend throughthe promiscuous mass of pears; a number of cups supported from saidconveyor for travel therewith and adapted to receive the bulb end of apear, each cup having a retaining wall and a floor, said wall beinginterrupted at a forward point of its circumference with its upper edgearranged to dip symmetrically toward said interruption, and said floorcomprising a pair of coaxi-ally arranged and axially spaced rollersdisposed with their common axis transversely to the direction ofmovement of said conveyor and a stationary floor portion locatedrearwardly of and ascending obliquely in rearward direction from saidrollers; and means for rotating said rollers during a movement of thecups with the conveyor.

9. An orienting cup for a pear feeding conveyor comprising a floor, aroller mounted to exert a turning force on a pear therein, a wall havingits upper edge arranged to decline toward a predetermined point thereofand positioned to be engaged by a stem end of a pear in said cup, andmeans for operating said roller to turn a pear in said cup to urge itsneck along said declining edge toward said predetermined point thereof.

10. An orienting cup for a pear feeding conveyor comprising a floor anda circumferential wall, said floor comprising a pair of coaxiallyarranged and axially spaced rollers and a stationary floor portionascending obliquely from said rollers in rearward direction, and saidwall being interrupted at a point forwardly of and in alignment with thespace between said rollers, with its upper edge arranged to dipsymmetrically toward said interruption.

11. An orienting cup according to claim 10 comprising a projectionextending from said stationary floor portion into the space between saidrollers.

BURTON C. COONS.

REFERENCES CITED 2 The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 7 Name Date 2,220,511 Carroll Nov. 5, 19402,265,515 Carroll Dec. 9, 1941 2,298,614 Carroll Oct. 13, 1942 2,406,311Ashlock Aug. 27, 1946 2,429,991 Coons Nov. 14, 1947 2,502,779 Coons Apr.4, 1950

